A Real, Adult Testimony

When I was a little girl, I loved to go up on Fast Sundays to share my testimony. I remember being so excited about having my chance to speak and eagerly asking a member of the bishopric whose turn it was to go, and how extra thrilling it was when it was my turn.

I noticed that when adults bore testimony, they tended to tell stories, while children's testimonies tended to be more straightforward lists of beliefs and thanks. Then one Sunday when I was about 7 years old, one of the older Primary girls went up to the stand and included a story with her testimony. At that point, I wondered when I would be able to share a real, adult testimony with a story included.

A few years later, an elder was speaking in our ward. It may have been part of fast and testimony meeting; it may have been an assigned talk. I don't really remember. What I do remember is that he said that the typical listing of beliefs and thanks given by little children isn't a real testimony. I don't remember a thing about what he said after that. Dad later talked to us all about what the missionary said, but I still was left with the impression that according to this missionary, what I had to say during testimony meeting was not a real testimony. So for a time after that, I stopped going up.

Well, I have shared my testimony several times since then. Not as often as I had when I was 4, or even as often as when I was 7. But I do on occasion. And when I do, I'm generally pretty straightforward. At the core, my testimony consists of a list of things I believe and know. There is a God who loves us. Christ lives. Our prayers are heard. There is a prophet on the earth today.

And that simple list is a real, adult testimony.